


Remedial Lessons

by Zwaluw



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Its Not Science Until You Write It Down, Science Experiments, Teacher Tom Riddle, Teacher-Student Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-15
Updated: 2018-09-15
Packaged: 2019-07-12 13:42:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15996386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zwaluw/pseuds/Zwaluw
Summary: Harry didn't really think before he tried that toad and chicken egg thing and now he has a baby Basilisk with him at all times. Out of everyone to let in on the secret Tom Riddle seems the best choice.





	Remedial Lessons

Harry thought that explaining things would be easy, because Mr Riddle- Tom, was pretty nice and calm and really unlike all the other teachers. The other teachers would- he- he'd be expelled for sure if he went to McGonagall or anyone else. Tom would- well, he wasn't sure but it couldn't be as bad as getting expelled. He'd help Harry, somehow, figure out what to do with what was in hindsight a bit of a colossal mistake.

Yet now he was sitting at the kitchen table and running his fingernails past each other to have something to do and not making eye contact because he was being stared at. The not making eye contact probably had something to do with that. It wasn't fair that his teacher looked so terrifying when he frowned. Harry knew he wouldn't get angry but there was just something about that expression that conveyed the deepest disappointment and unlike with his other teachers, Harry cared about making Tom feel disappointed in him. He didn't want it to happen because then he wouldn't be getting lessons at the kitchen table anymore and not learn so much amazing things about magic that actually made sense.

He took a breath and managed to croak out what he wanted to say.

'I need to 'fess up to something…'

The stare only intensified, so Harry grasped his mug of tea and took a sip in desperation.

'It's not exactly  _ 'fessing up _ to anything if you're speaking so softly I can't hear you now is it?' his teacher said sounding a little amused.

That gave Harry the courage he needed, so he reached inside his hoodie pocket -another great thing about these lessons, he wasn't required to wear robes even if his teacher sometimes dressed like he came straight out of the 40's- and carefully set the little snake on the kitchen table, already worrying about whether it would be cold. Whether the basilisk that he created would be cold. He cringed at the thought.

Tom stopped staring at him and instead stared at the creature Harry had just deposited on the kitchen table.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief, but it was only short lived. The silence lasted for ages. He twitched with every motion Tom made, ready to jump away, to defend himself, to do something against the rage that had to be coming his way any second now. But nothing happened.

Harry could hear the clock ticking and the rustle of the pipes and even the curtains being swayed by the wind in another room.

Tom stood up, his chair creaking as it moved back on the floor. But there were no veins bulging in his forehead, he didn't turn purple or reach out to hurt Harry.

Instead he walked over to a cabinet, took a key out of his pocket and opened it. A glass and a bottle came out, clinking slightly when he set them down on the wood. The bottle gurgled as he poured and Harry was still holding his breath.

Tom turned back, his eyes falling on the snake, still sleeping, curled up innocently on the table. Harry watched in astonishment as he downed the entire glass in one go and immediately filled it again before walking back to his seat and sitting down in a way that suggested he was somehow carrying the weight of the whole world.

'When I said you were free to experiment, I didn't mean this,' he said at last.

Harry did his best to breathe away his anxiety, trying to register that Tom hadn't said anything angry yet, that he hadn't lashed out and that everything was fine.

'You aren't angry?' he asked and hated how his voice wavered.

Tom abruptly looked up at him, making eye contact and looking quite astonished. He took a sip of his drink and shook his head.

'Why would I be angry Harry?'

His voice was kind and soft and Harry hated that even more.

'I don't know, I did something wrong didn't I?'

His teacher smiled at him, which only added to the confusion and fear swirling in his stomach.

'You didn't do anything wrong, or I wouldn't have a basilisk sitting on my kitchen table, but maybe we can agree that creating one in the first place was a bit of a mistake?'

Harry nodded sheepishly, suddenly as light as a feather as this anxiety drained away.

'It was yeah,'he admitted, trying to sound contrite and ruining it by adding in a rush. 'But look at her, isn't she sweet?'

Tom's laughter roused her from her sleep, blinking open dull but somehow vivid green eyes and protesting the hard surface she found herself on by wriggling discontently.

Harry stopped himself from hissing angrily when Tom carefully picked her up, stroking her scales and examining her.

΅Have you ever had a pet, Harry?' he asked, the laughter still ringing in his voice somehow. 'And no, Hedwig doesn't count,' he added before Harry could name his owl.

Which meant Harry had to shake his head.

'Owls are very independent creatures, I wonder how you'll fare taking care of a baby snake.'

Tom was still smiling, his eyes sparkling with mischief. Harry was suddenly filled with foreboding.

'Consider it your homework for the coming months.'

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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